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Though something of a nostalgia trip, Adventureland never falls into the traps of over romanticizing or sentimentalizing a bygone era. Inspired by the events of his own post-adolescence in the 1980s, Greg Mottola writes and directs this surprisingly tender film about confused and loveless young adults. Though beginning on a similar note as many films of its type — a party where the protagonist, James, is introduced as a virgin — the film takes an unusual path from there. He returns home to find out his summer plans are dashed and he must get a seasonable job so he’ll be able to go to Columbia University in the fall. Having never worked before, he finds himself unqualified for most lines and has to apply at the local amusement park where he is hired to run games along with a wide range of characters, including the awkward Joel and the capricious Paulette.

Where this film takes the less beaten path is in its thoughtful and sometimes even leisurely exploration of the characters psyches and motivations. Even minor characters are afforded a huge amount of depth and personality beyond their sometimes thinly-drawn stereotypes. At the center you have James, an intellectual, and a dreamer. His primary goal is not to get laid, but to build meaningful relationships with the people around him. Though obviously good looking and even charming, James is sincere, and becomes a very relatable heart of the picture.

He quickly falls for Em, a beautiful girl who “saves his life” and seems to be everything a guy could want. In this regard, the film does fall somewhat into male wish fulfillment, but as the layers peel away it becomes clear that Em is an emotional wreck. Though the film is very much about James, I think the Em storyline might be the most interesting. It’s not a completely original path, but the film handles it remarkably well. Her unhappiness and angst are palpable, and you have these incredible powerful, brief moments of complete and utter anguish. After being publicly humiliated, she returns home to find her parents hosting a party. She says something cruel to her step-mother for which her father scolds her. Clearly disturbed, almost under her breath, she asks why she has to keep her painful emotions under wraps as they haunt her on a day to day basis. The amount of guilt and self-loathing she carries with her is beyond mere angst, but a tangible psychological pain. Though not an uncommon character trend in young adult films, the film offers new insight into her actions, and one of the film’s strengths is the lack of resolution, especially in relation to her parents¹.

Unable to handle her mother’s death or her father’s new wife, she rebels by getting the job at Adventureland and self-medicating with a cocktail of different drugs. A relationship with an older and married man, Mike Connell, further complicates her emotional state. She is very much attached to him though it’s clear she is unsatisfied with their mostly sexual relationship. His own baggage has left him cold and distant, and he seems oblivious to her needs and happiness, or at least he doesn’t care. At first James becomes something of a tool that Em uses to draw Connell’s attention: she makes sure Connell is aware of her courting of James and their budding friendship. This backfires though, as Connell does take notice, but instead of acknowleding Em’s frustration, he attempts to slyly sabotage James by recommending he go for another girl, as well as revealing to Em that James “loves her,” perhaps hoping that it will scare her away. Though Connell does not seem prepared to lose Em, he does not fight when she tries to break it off, and seems wholly unaffected by the consequences of his actions. Unfortunately as these relationship games, wear on Em, they push her over the edge.

While James and Connell are unlike in terms of their approach to relationships, the film clearly draws a parallel between their experiences over the course of the summer. Whereas Connell uses tricks and lies to endear himself to the women he courts, James is honest and open with the women he is interested in. Yet, at the same time, both are similarly artistically minded and afraid of being stuck in this town for the rest of their life. There is even a suggestion that there is a possibility that James could one day be Connell, though thankfully he seems to take a different path later in the film.

Like many films of its type, Adventureland draws on many universal experiences and sentiments to endear both Em and James to the audience. However, it’s worth acknowledging that these are still attractive and upper middle class individuals, who though not without their problems, still have the uper hand on most theatre audiences. The film handles their issues with sensitivity and never undermines their personal issues, but at the core, most people are not afforded the same opportunities as either character, and the film seems to acknowledge this in it’s portrayal of Joel, adding to the rich tapestry of experience the film presents.

Characters like Joel are usually the subject of slings and arrows in high school and post-high school films such as this. Not conventionally good looking and interested in Russian literature and video games, he is not as desirable as the protagonists. He lives in his parents basement and pays rent, and works at what is obviously a crummy job. However, he is afforded the same level of attention as both Em and James. Though subtle, it’s clear he has strong feelings for Em, ones he never wants to act upon because he is sure of rejection. In one of the most telling scenes of the film, he and James sit in his backyard discussing Joel’s being rejected romantically by Paulette. James tells Joel that he’s a great guy and deserves better, but Joel won’t have any of it. In a moment of surprising candor, he not only reveals his affection for Em, but how a guy like him has no chance with a girl like that. It’s one of the most heart wrenching moments in recent cinema, and, like the rest of the film, it’s perfectly understated in such a way that doesn’t call attention to itself.

With the exception of maybe Connell, whose static nature seems pivotal to his character, everyone has changed over the summer, even though their situations remain very much the same. Events have taken a particular effect on James, and it’s here that his identity divorces from the possibility of becoming like Connell. He takes a complete leap of faith in pursuing what he wants despite the odds against him, and they more or less pay off. One of my few complaints about the film, however, is that the film would have done best to finish a minute or two before its actual conclusion. The lack of ambiguity of the final scene tonally betrays most of the rest of the film. It’s not enough to disregard the film as a whole though, since the actors make it work. Their seemingly effortless chemistry, and the obvious sexual tension between them made for an electric moment, however ill-advised it may have been.

What really propels the film into the realm of greatness is its ambient atmosphere, rooted in the melancholic and adventurous nature of it’s characters. The twilight² scenes especially seem to highlight the transformative nature of identities, as they close on one chapter only to open the next. These serene scenes of introspection and inquisitiveness are juxtaposed against the chaotic colors of the amusement park itself. The faded lights and colors of the park at nighttime are especially used as a backdrop for Em. On a literal level the out of focus lights almost feel as though we’re seeing them through tear filled eyes, while their chaotic nature represents her inner turmoil. The music is also worth noting; though it has some of the prototypical 1980s hits, the majority of the film is sound tracked to the work of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground³, giving it a consistent flavor of contemplative sadness and longing.

Edited by: Matt Schneider

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1. Lesser teen/young adult flicks like this year’s Fired Up, try to leave nothing unresolved. It usually ends in a chaotic scene where ever the most minor character’s struggles, quirks and lives are tied up in a nice littlel package.  In many ways, this seems contrary to the nature of these transitional films. Set during times of a lot of change,  closing all doors is illogical. Leaving the door open between Em and her parents is a step in the right direction, and it’s not the only instance in the film. It’s not lazy writing, but crucial to how we experience life.

2. May or may not be in reference to vampire baseball.

3.  The use of Pale Blue Eyes as James somewhat unofficial song is especially wonderful. In part because it’s a favourite of mine, but also it’s double meaning, a kind of melancholic song to an impossible relationship, but it somehow ends on a sweetly endearing note with the line; “The fact that you are married/Only proves, you’re my best friend.” The use of Satellite of Love also becomes a rather pivotal tool in developing character.

* Also special thanks to my friend James, who helped me develop most of these ideas and gave me a lot of helpful advice in writing.